Butterflies

Chapter 7

Hey guys! *waves* So guess what this is? FIVE DAYS OF UPDATES! WOOP WOOP. I was going to call it five days of Christmas, but I respect all religions and lack of religions. So here are five updates that just happen to end on a famous holiday. Total coincidence. Hehehe. Moving on, I know this story has been kind of slow and with no real point, so I figured out what I'm going to do. And it is fantastic. I won't tell you though. You'll figure it out on the third chapter of the five days. IT WILL BE AMAZING AND HINT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE FULL CHARACTER FIC I MENTIONED WANTING TO DO. Alright, enough of that. Please feel free to read.
                                  ~O~
The shadow-travel brought the pair to the base of a tree tucked away somewhere in the camp. Bright mid-day sunlight blinding Nico for a second and the additional spurt of pain sent him sliding to the ground, using the trunk of the tree as support.

The specific tree was now as memorialia, the tree of memories. Campers came and hung little trinkets of memories on the branches as an offering. The nymph of the tree was a young handsome boy who always took great care of the people who he met. Not everyone knew about the tree, but it was well enough known that plenty of objects hung from the branches that it looked well loved.

He picked a fallen toy off the ground and fiddled with it between his fingers to distract him from the throbbing pain in his head. It was a little toy car that had a piece of string woven through it so it could hang. The paint was chipped and it was rusty from the scheduled rains, but when Nico ran it down his hand, the wheels still squeakily rolled. Then he looked back up at Will who seemed to be having trouble choosing between being concerned and being angry.

"Nico, you idiot!" Will exclaimed, interlacing his fingers behind his neck. He closed his eyes and continued a little softer, "I can't believe you were stupid enough to even try something like that!"

Nico smirked but winced and exhaled sharply. A slow, dull throb was creeping through his body and making him feel nauseous. In a second Will was at his side, finally choosing concerned and immediately going into doctor mode. 

He took Nico's temperature with the back of his hand and grumbled, "You are one thick headed demigod, di Angelo." Checking his wrist's pulse and then letting out a sigh, Will looked up at Nico's face.

"You don't need to do that, Solace," Nico whispered hoarsely and pulled his hand away and then attempting to stand. But about a foot off the ground his legs collapsed again and Will caught him in his arms.

Brilliant blue eyes glared at Nico's swirling black. "You need help, Nico," he murmured, supporting Nico's weight with his arms.

He scowled. "No I don't," Nico said again, laughing almost coldly and pushed Will away, letting his body settle against the tree again. "I don't need your help, I don't need anything." He scoffed, but it sounded forced. "I've dealt with it before." Nico rubbed his temples. "It's just a little headache."

Will narrowed his eyes. "Your over exerted and require medical attention."

Nico laughed suddenly. "Really? You think so? I totally guessed you would say that, Solace. But guess what?" He glared up at Will. "I don't need your help. I don't need your medical attention. I don't need your words. And I don't need you. No matter how certain you are that I do."

Will's touch wasn't gentle when he reached forward and jerked Nico's chin upward. Honestly, the boy was getting tired with this punk's bipolar attitude and games. Any more and Will might snap.

"Tell me what you want, Nico," he practically hissed. "I don't care what you need, I don't care what you can handle. Tell me what you really want, right now." Once more his gaze burned against Nico's, the energy between them almost touchable.